Elections board ex-chief pleads guilty over false timesheets

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A former county elections board director in Columbus has pleaded guilty to a felony charge alleging he knowingly approved inaccurate timesheets for a fiscal officer who was paid for time that she didn’t work.

Former Franklin County elections board director William Anthony Jr. was indicted on theft and evidence-tampering charges. He pleaded guilty Monday in a plea deal to a single count of securing writings by deception.

A message seeking comment from his Columbus attorneys was left Tuesday.

The state auditor says a tip on a fraud hotline led to the investigation.

The auditor’s office says the former fiscal officer accused of wrongly receiving more than $7,500 in pay pleaded guilty Monday to a misdemeanor falsification charge.